TVT-O Vaginal Mesh Trial Begins in Philly

Yesterday marked the start of the re-trial of McFarland v. Ethicon, a products liability and injury case brought by a woman who claims permanent injuries from the implantation of Ethicon's vaginal mesh product, the TVT-O (tension-free vaginal tape, obturator). The jury heard opening statements from the parties, followed by the beginning of the plaintiff's case-in-chief. Lead Plaintiff counsel, Tracie Palmer of Kline & Specter, gave a powerful opening, telling the jury that the evidence would show that Ethicon "put profits over patients" by failing to adequately study and warn about the dangers of TVT-O and also that the design of the product is dangerous in a variety of ways. Today, the jury began to hear videotaped testimony from one of the plaintiff's lead experts on general causation, Dr. Bruce Rosenzweig. The trial is anticipated to last several weeks.